


Communication is Key

by spacenquiet (nukarachacha)



Series: Life of a Pathfinder [3]
Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Jaal is def bi or bicurious in this fic lmao, Just like bioware queerbaited my heart, M/M, Queerbaiting, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Ryder, Trans Ryder, Vetra Nyx to the rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 20:37:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10395591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nukarachacha/pseuds/spacenquiet
Summary: It's better to voice your troubles sooner than later, even if you are busy fighting off a hoard of Kett soldiers.





	

Bullets ricocheted off of Koji's shields, the Pathfinder ducking behind a trashed building on the desert planet they were on. The Kett were relentless, firing shot after shot at him and his squadmates, Vetra and Jaal.

While exploring, a group of lone Ketts got the jump on the team, too far away from their Nomad to make a quick getaway and reposition themselves to have the advantage. The Pathfinding group was pinned, seeming as if more and more Kett came in doubles each time they downed one.

Dodging an incoming Kett fighter, Koji rolled to duck behind different cover, succesfully blowing the charging Kett's head clean off with an aimed shot from his shotgun.

"Nice shot, boss!" Vetra called from her own cover further ahead, having seen the show. Koji shot her a thumbs up and smile before being yanked back behind cover just in time to miss a direct hit from enemy fire.

Jaal had pulled him down, Koji muttering a quick thanks before launching up from the ground with a jet pack fueled jump and downing two more Kett with a carnage shot combo.

Using the remaining fuel in his jet pack, Koji scoped out his remaining opponents before dropping back down.

"We only have a handful of Kett remaining." He spoke through his headset, making sure Vetra and Jaal were both listening in. It didn't surprise him to find Jaal next to him still after he landed behind a different base of cover. "Count your shots and be careful. Just basic soldiers left, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"You got it Ryder." Vetra's voice ended with static, ending the group conversation. Koji didn't need to look at Jaal to know he understood his orders.

Launching a drone further ahead, Koji carefully ducked behind cover at a different angle, switching over to his sniper rifle and bringing into sight the enemies his drone couldn't reach. Vetra quickly moved back when a Kett soldier moved in closer, sights aimed at her before his head blew off with a well aimed shot.

The heat sink hissed as it popped out from the heated sniper rifle's barrel, Koji quickly adding in a new one. A presence slid in against Koji's back, causing him to assume it was Vetra seeking a better deffensive position after being chased out of the place she was at before. Steadying his breath, Koji aimed his sights at the soldier currently shooting down his drone, the glint of his scope catching the alien's eye.

Before he could even react, he was pulled back just as bullets carved holes in the corner of the defense Koji was hidden behind.

"You should take your own advice for once." Jaal grumbled under his breath at the Pathfinder's carelessness, aiming two well rounded shots at the Kett, succesfully killing him.

"I had him." Koji growled, shoving the arm the Angara still had at the neck of his armor away from him.

"Your head is filled with troubling thoughts. You need to pay attention." The Angara retaliated, casting him a side glance.

"You don't know that. And I am paying attention." Koji barked back, positioning himself behind a different point of hiding.

There were only two Kett left, currently moving in past the groups line of defense. Vetra drew their fire before ducking back, giving both Jaal and Koji a perfect line of sight to shoot them down.

If only they would have shot them down.

"Yes I do." Jaal spoke up, this time over the headset in order to be heard over the gunfire. "When you are thinking too much your 'eyebrow' twitches."

"Uh, guys? Little help here."

Koji drew out an exasperated breath, throwing a glare towards Jaal. "Instead of looking at my face maybe you should be shooting at the Kett!"

"Please don't do this here, not right now." Vetra groaned over the headset, being ignored for the second time now.

"I am shooting at them, it's you who'd rather get shot than shoot." Jaal barked back, voice rumbling dangerously.

The last Kett soldier jumped over a piece of barrier, in plain sight for all three. With a burst of angry blue, Koji pulled the Kett with his biotics before sending him soaring through the sky.

Vetra glanced between the two, a little frightened at the immense feel of tension and biotic power crackling between the two. Deciding it was her time to go, the female Turian quickly replenished her supplies and headed inside one of the abandoned buildings. The two needed their space and she wasn't one to get in the way of that.

"You--!" Koji started, face wrinkled in anger before scoffing and dropping the conversation. "Nevermind."

As he turned away, a set of heavy footsteps approached closer.

"I was right." Jaal grabbed onto Koji's arm, spinning him around. "You are still troubled from before."

Pulling his arm away from Jaal, Koji snapped back almost immediately, "I'm bothered that you can't seem to drop this whole.. thing!" He made a gesture to Jaal, arms waving around in the air almost maniaclly. "One second you give me the space that I want-- that I asked for, and the next you're suffocating me with your presence! Make up your mind Jaal, I can't take this anymore!"

Silence grew between them, the sound that could only be heard coming from the passing wind. Vetra peeked out from behind the building wall, becoming worried when the sound of yelling grew in volume before dying down. Her omnitool glowed with a new message, causing her to duck back inside.

"I've told you before--"

"I'm not going to hit you." Koji growled out before Jaal could even finish his sentence. "That's not the kind of person I am."

"So you still have feelings for me."

Exasperated, Koji rolled his eyes before turning to walk away, only to be held in place by large alien hands once again. "Answer."

With a groan, Jaal's hands snapped back when biotic power pushed them off.

Koji turned back around, eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled in anger. "It has been a week-- a damn fucking week-- since you rejected me, Jaal. You really think my feelings for you have gone away in that small amount of time, when you are one of the first to greet me in the mornings or help map out locations and help get more supplies? Hell, I bump into you each time I try to go to the bathroom! Your presence has been suffocating me! How am I supposed to forget what I feel towards you if you're always there?"

Tears stung at his eyes, Koji putting all the blame on dirt getting in them during the fight.

Chest still heaving from his outburst, Koji turned around, blue biotics pushing Jaal back when he tried stepping forward. "We're heading back to the Tempest. Grab some ammo while I search the ruins for anything useful."

"You got it boss." Vetra's voice crackled over their headsets, the Turian appearing from inside the building Koji was heading into, catching a glimpse of her leader's red face.

The blue barrier that prevented Jaal from moving dropped, the Angara groaning as he took in a deep breath. "You've really messed up this time, Jaal." Vetra clicked her tongue while shaking her head.

"There's nothing worse than falling for bait then getting rejected, only to be baited again."

Jaal blinked. "I don't.."

"Listen." Vetra came closer, standing eye to eye with the male alien. "I don't know if Peebee is making you confused on what normal flirting is like, but when someone isn't interested in a specific gender, they usually don't approach them after making it clear they're not interested. And if you think that because our faithful leader grew up as something you have an interest in before becoming the man he is now, is what makes you think it's ok to continue doing this, then you've got another thing coming."

The threat didn't go unnoticed, Jaal nodding his head to make it perfectly clear he knew Vetra knew he understood. "It is only a cause of miscommunication. I didn't intend on hurting or troubling him."

"Then we have nothing to worry about then." Vetra finished with a growl from her subharmonics, the sound coming off as a deeper rumble than Jaal's own voice. It was as intimidating as a Krogan's battle cry.

Just as Vetra stepped back, Koji stepped down from the building he spent his time investigating, waving the two down. "Alright we're heading back."

"Find anything useful, Ryder?" Vetra asked once their leader got close.

"Just some old tapes from whoever lived there. Oh and also.." He wrapped his arm around her small waist, standing on the tips of his toes to reach her ear, or where he thought she could hear him from. "Remind me to buy you a round of drinks next time we're on the Nexus. As thanks."

Vetra chuckled, her subharmonics flaring up like a song. "Ooh~ maybe I should stick up for you more often."

"You watch my back I watch yours." Koji laughed, stepping foot inside the Nomad.

Jaal watched as his two crew mates chatted between the two, a strange feeling moving around in his chest.

It felt like a fist was digging around inside of him when he saw the two begin to whisper to each other, suddenly becoming close enough to touch each other casually. He didn't know why he felt irritated and he chose not to care about it. For the time being at least. He would have to ask Peebee for more advice, or better yet, another human for advice, seeing as the Asari's help seemed to only get him deeper into trouble.

**Author's Note:**

> Idk if I'll continue more of this since I haven't played or seen anything about Andromeda yet. If Jaal ends up being bi then, this gets a happy ending. If not, well..


End file.
